Evolution of <i>UCP1</i> Gene and Its Significance to Temperature Adaptation in Rodents.

ABSTRACT: Adaptive thermogenesis comprises shivering thermogenesis dependent on skeletal muscles and non-shivering thermogenesis (NST) mediated by uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1). Although the thermogenic function of UCP1 was adopted early in some placental mammals, positive selection predominantly occurred in the ancestral branches of small-bodied species. Some previous studies have revealed that rodents living in northern or high mountain regions adapt to cold environments by increasing NST, whereas those living in tropical and subtropical regions that are not exposed to cold stress express low concentrations of UCP1, indicating that UCP1 may have evolved to adapt to ambient temperatures. In this study, we explored the evolution of UCP1 and its significance to temperature a

SUBMITTER: Liang X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11899873 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature